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Aristotle · Mechanics §21.1-21.3

Why Extracting Teeth Is Easier with Tooth-Extractors

Passage 23 of 38 · Greek

Summary

Explains why extracting teeth with forceps is easier than with bare hands, attributing it to the forceps functioning as two opposing levers with a single common fulcrum.

§21.1Διὰ τί οἱ ἰατροὶ ῥᾷον ἐξαιροῦσι τοὺς ὀδόντας προσλαμβάνοντες βάρος τὴν ὀδοντάγραν ἢ τῇ χειρὶ μόνῃ ψιλῇ;
Why is it that doctors extract teeth more easily by applying the tooth-forceps as an additional weight (aid), than with the bare hand alone?
Πότερον διὰ τὸ μᾶλλον ἐξολισθαίνειν διὰ τῆς χειρὸς τὸν ὀδόντα ἢ ἐκ τῆς ὀδοντάγρας;
Is it because the tooth slips more easily from the hand than from the forceps?
Ἢ μᾶλλον ὀλισθαίνει τῆς χειρὸς ὁ σίδηρος, καὶ οὐ περιλαμβάνει αὐτὸν κύκλῳ·
Or rather, does the iron (of the instrument) slip more than the hand, and does not enclose it all around?
μαλθακὴ γὰρ οὖσα ἡ σὰρξ τῶν δακτύλων καὶ προσμένει μᾶλλον καὶ περιαρμόττει.
For the flesh of the fingers, being soft, both adheres more and fits around it.
§21.2Ἀλλ’ ὅτι ἡ ὀδοντάγρα δύο μοχλοί εἰσιν ἀντικείμενοι, ἒν τὸ ὑπομόχλιον ἔχοντες τὴν σύναψιν τῆς θερμαστρίδος· τοῦ ῥᾷον οὖν κινῆσαι χρῶνται τῷ ὀργάνῳ πρὸς τὴν ἐξαίρεσιν.
But it is because the forceps consist of two opposing levers, having a single fulcrum at the joint of the pincers; therefore they use the instrument for the extraction in order to move [the tooth] more easily.
§21.3Ἔστω γὰρ τῆς ὀδοντάγρας τὸ μὲν ἕτερον ἄκρον ἐφ’ ᾦτὸ Α, τὸ δὲ ἕτερον, τὸ Β, ὃ ἐξαιρεῖ· ὁ δὲ μοχλὸς ἐφ’ ᾦ ΑΔΖ, ὁ δὲ ἄλλος μοχλὸς ἐφ’ ᾦ ΒΓΕ ὑπομόχλιον δὲ τὸ ΓΘΔ· ὁ δὲ ὀδοὐς ἐφ’ οὖ σύναψις· ὁ δὲ τὸ βάρος.
For let one end of the forceps be A, and the other end, which extracts, be B; and let one lever be ΑΔΖ, and the other lever ΒΓΕ, and let the fulcrum be ΓΘΔ; and let the tooth be at the joint, and let this be the weight.
Ἑκατέρῳ οὖν τῶν ΒΖ καὶ ἅμα λαβῶν κινεῖ.
Therefore, holding both of B and Z at the same time, he moves [it].
Ὅταν δὲ κινήση, ἐξεῖλε ῥᾷον τῇ χειρὶ ἢ τῷ ὀργάνῳ.
And when he has once moved [it], it is easier [to extract it] with the hand than with the instrument.

Notes

  1. §21.1προσλαμβάνοντες βάρος τὴν ὀδοντάγραν — The participle προσλαμβάνοντες expresses means ("by taking additionally"), and βάρος is placed in apposition to its direct object τὴν ὀδοντάγραν. In the mechanical context, βάρος refers to an "additional weight" or "instrumental load" used to amplify manual force.
  2. §21.2τοῦ ῥᾷον οὖν κινῆσαι — This is an articular infinitive in the genitive expressing purpose ("in order to move more easily"). The verb κινῆσαι refers to "moving" or "loosening" the tooth as a preliminary step before actual extraction (ἐξαίρεσις).
  3. §21.3τῶν ΒΖ — In the alphabetical diagrammatic references of the text, the two handle ends should logically be A and E (or A and Z), but the manuscript tradition shows confusion in writing them as B and Z. However, the context clearly indicates the two ends of the handles (the points where force is applied).
  4. §21.3ἐξεῖλε ῥᾷον τῇ χειρὶ ἢ τῷ ὀργάνῳ — The verb ἐξεῖλε functions as a gnomic aorist expressing a general or habitual truth. Once the tooth has been loosened (κινήσῃ) by the instrument, it is easier to extract it directly with the hand (which adheres better, as noted in §21.1) than with the slippery metal tool.

Cite this passage

Aristotle, Mechanics §21.1-21.3. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0086.tlg023.humanitext-grc1:21.1-21.3

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